ES South's defense leads the way with 4 picks

A strong defense has been the backbone of Ed Christian's teams for years, and this season was no exception.

ANDREW KROECKEL

A strong defense has been the backbone of Ed Christian's teams for years, and this season was no exception.

East Stroudsburg South leads the way with four selections on the 2007 Pocono Record All-Area First Team Defense. Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg North and Pocono Mountain West each have two players on the first team.

Pleasant Valley and Pocono Mountain East each have one player on the team, though East's Tim Picerno was selected at two positions.

A prototypical defensive end, Richardson, a two-time All-Area selection, was the kind of player teams had to specifically scheme for. And if they didn't, they should have. Despite missing a game with a knee injury, Richardson had 56 tackles this year, eight sacks, three fumble recoveries and a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown against Honesdale.

Had the East Stroudsburg School District never split Cheeks would have been on the opposite end of the line from Richardson. Every time the Cavs needed to make a stop, Cheeks always seemed to at least be in on the play, pulling down running backs and quarterbacks behind the line. He finished the season with 63 tackles and 10 sacks.

One of three two-way selections on the first team, Spradlin, who was also named as an offensive lineman, proved to be a force at defensive tackle. He racked up an impressive 70 tackles (30 solo) and five sacks from a position that doesn't normally generate those kinds of numbers.

Another two-way selection on the first team, Garnier was literally in the middle of everything for the Panthers on both sides of the ball. The center on offense, Garnier anchored the defensive line at nose guard, steadying a defense that helped deliver the program's first league title. Garnier finished with 60 tackles (15 solo), including seven for loss, and two sacks.

Hiestand provided a solid presence in the middle of Pleasant Valley's defensive line, shoring up its defense against the run. He ended up with 29 tackles and a 55-yard fumble return.

Called "a man among children" by his own coach, Bergen, just a sophomore, terrorized the MVC this year, roaming from sideline to sideline to track down runners. Bergen finished with a team-high 87 tackles and five sacks. His emergence helped South compensate for the loss of Bergen's brother Max, who now plays at Stanford. He's only going to get better over the next two seasons, a scary thought for the rest of the league.

Canfield was at the center of it all for the Mounties on both sides of the ball, manning the middle linebacker and fullback positions. He stepped into a leadership role and helped put a young Stroudsburg team back on track after an disappointing, injury-plagued 2006 seaon. Canfield finished with 86 tackles (58 solo) and recovered two fumbles.

Rutz made his presence known on the field each and every week, sticking his nose in on nearly every tackle for the Timberwolves. Rutz finished with an area-high 97 tackles, an average of 9.7 per game, five sacks, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

The third of three two-way selections, Quiteh proved to be a standout cornerback in addition to an impressive wide receiver. He was great in man coverage, knocking down key passes, passes the opponent need to complete, all season. Quiteh finished with 36 tackles (20 solo) and two interceptions.

Manned up on the opposing team's top receiver all season, Picerno proved to be one of the top cornerbacks in the league. He held Pius X's Wade Williams, who finished with an area-high 948 yards receiving, to just 54 yards in the season opener. Picerno finished the year with 61 tackles, five interceptions, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two sacks.

One of the most physical and certainly the most verbal player in the league, Vetesy dished out hits from his safety position, finishing third on the team with 73 tackles and three interceptions. His pick deep in the Cavs' end in the fourth quarter of the Turkey Day game helped turned the tide in South's favor. He also put a big hit on Liberty's Brendan Beal in the Cavs' district playoff game, decleating the Florida-bound Beal on a route over the middle.

DePass helped stabilize a secondary that was experienced in some spots (safety) and inexperienced but talented at others (cornerback). More of a shutdown coverage man than a big tackler, DePass broke up more than a few passes at key times for the Cavaliers. He finished the season with 25 tackles and a fumble recovery.

Picerno earns the rare distinction of being named to the same unit twice, using his leg to get the Cardinals out of some sticky situations. He finished the season with an average 32.6 yards per punt.